Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Marcos Leonardo and they simply have to go in for him again in January.
The Santos player was on the radar of Forest during the summer transfer window, with the club seeking strikers.
Forest-linked Leonardo is now a wanted man. It’s been claimed that Manchester United, Newcastle and West Ham are all keen on the forward, according to Team Talk.
Leonardo to Forest: What’s the story?
In the summer, the Brazilian wonderkid was being lined up for a move to the City Ground. Leonardo chose to stay with Santos, however.
Tim Vickery didn’t think that Leonardo was right for Forest back then. Now, it would seem as though the player looks destined for the Premier League.
Forest wanted a younger striker to come in and compete for a place in the team. Taiwo Awoniyi and Chris Wood were the only strikers in the City Ground squad at that point.
The Reds did manage to land a striker before the window closed. It wasn’t the younger option they’d hoped for, however, with Divock Origi signing on loan.
Now, the agent of Leonardo believes he’s ready to leave. He told The Evening Standard: “Already in the previous transfer market he had the possibility of being sold but Santos’ sporting situation was very particular.
“He agreed to stay because he wanted to help out right until the end of the Championship. He didn’t want to leave because it was the right thing to do.
“But the time has come to move. He wants to have a European experience and his time will come this winter.”
Forest have to act over wonderkid
Given that all of the clubs now fancying Leonardo are in Europe, Forest might be facing a fight to sign the wonderkid.
During the 2022/23 campaign, the player has found the net 21 times in 45 appearances in Brazil.
There is likely to be a requirement at Forest for another striker when the January transfer window reopens and all roads lead to Leonardo.
Taiwo Awoniyi is the top goalscorer with four goals but he picked up another injury on international duty last week.
Wood is on three goals this season and Origi is unlikely to make his loan deal permanent given that he’s barely played.
Leonardo is the younger striker that Forest are desperately craving and at £17 million, he could prove an absolute steal.
The Reds may have missed their chance to land the player but that definitely shouldn’t stop them from at least trying to sign him in January.
Forest might have one advantage over their rivals when it comes to Leonardo. He would likely get far more game time at the City Ground than he would with the other clubs.
With that in mind, all is not lost just yet and hopefully, Leonardo is still firmly on the radar at Forest.
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